The Compost Council
of Canada is a national non-profit, member-driven organization
with a charter to advocate and advance organics residuals recycling
and compost use. It serves as the central resource and network for
the compost industry in Canada and, through its members, contributes
to the environmental sustainability of the communities in which they
operate.

About
Plant a Row  Grow a Row

Plant a Row
 Grow a Row builds on the long-standing tradition of gardeners
loving to share their harvest with others. It is a people-helping-people
program to assist in feeding the hungry in their own communities.

The program
has its roots in many communities in North America. The Grow-A-Row
program started in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1986, initiated by Ron
and Eunice ODonovan. That was the year that they produced
more potatoes in their backyard garden than their family could consume.
They decided to donate the excess to the local food bank, Winnipeg
Harvest. Their idea was met with such enthusiasm that the ODonovans
decided to encourage their friends and neighbours to also donate
their surplus produce. Since then, over 1.4 million pounds of fresh
fruits and vegetables have been given to Winnipeg Harvest
through the Grow-A-Row program.

This program
has been taken up by other Canadian communities such as Edmonton,
Alberta, London, Ontario as well as regions in Quebec such as the
Laurentians and the Rigaud, Hudson, St. Lazare and Dorion area.
Edmontons program is spearheaded by the Edmonton Horticultural
Society with the support of local businesses. Londons program
is under the leadership of London Composts!, a local partnership
of businesses, government and non-profit organizations dedicated
to raising awareness of the value of composting and compost. In
Quebec, the campaign is called Un rang pour ceux qui ont faim
and was initiated by La Presse, the television program Fleurs
et Jardins, and the Quebec Food Bank Federation.

Plant a Row
for the Hungry was developed by the Garden Writers Association
of America and launched in the United States in 1995. Supported
by their members in their own communities, this innovative public
service campaign encourages gardeners to grow a little extra and
donate the produce to local soup kitchens and food banks.

Plant a Row
 Grow a Row combines the strength of all of the above
initiatives. Through the experience of these communities and their
sharing of existing information and communication resources, it
is hoped that other places across Canada will establish a Plant
a Row  Grow a Row campaign in their own Community.

Other communities
will be encouraged to start their own campaigns, supported through
the Plant a Row 
Grow a Row website and the programs toll-free helpline:
1-877-571-GROW(4769).

Hidden
Valley Ranch is a proud supporter of Plant a Row
• Grow a Row. Hidden Valley Ranch is helping to grow the movement
to get fresh,
locally-grown produce into the hands of our neighbours in need.

Hidden
Valley® Ranch Encourages Canadians to “Plant a Row • Grow
a Row” for Neighbours in Need
More than 225,000 seed packets to be delivered through unique grassroots
partnerships
that share harvests with others

The Compost Council of Canada funds research with the intention that industry funds be placed for maximum effect to the research project. As such, The Compost Council of Canada's policy is to fund research with zero overhead.
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@compost.org.

This site is maintained by the Compost
Council of Canada.
Our limited resources make it difficult to provide a full range of information
services to non-members.
This site is updated as funds permit.